A Day At The Zoo PG-13 Champagne challenge #138

[cassysj]

I do not own any recognizable characters no copyright infringement is intended

Mick woke up right after sunrise. Since turning human he wanted the days to last as long as possible.

He made a big breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. It had to be just like his Mom used to make when he was a boy. Almost every Sunday they went to the Griffith Park Zoo until he was about nine years old. Dad lost his job for a few months and by the time he got a new job Mick had turned ten and the zoo just didn’t hold the same magic it once had.

He went once with Lilah after he came home from the war. He wanted to recapture a piece of his innocence and he briefly fantasized about bringing his own kids there one day. That was two weeks before Ray returned.

The last time he went there was in 1954. After a big fight with Coraline he wanted to go somewhere that was familiar. He couldn’t go home to his parents or the old neighborhood. He couldn’t go to any of the dives where he played guitar, everyone thought he was dead. The only place he could think of was the zoo and it was a disaster.

He noticed the birds first. They flew out of the trees when he walked down the paths. He stopped to see the monkeys and the chimps started howling and fled to the corner of their cage. The elephants pointed their huge trunks in his direction and they backed away. It was the lion’s cage that destroyed him. That beautiful King of the Jungle roared once and then whimpered, recognizing the dominant predator. When he heard a little boy around five years old say to his mother.

“What could scare the lion? There must be a monster around here.”

“There is no such thing as monsters Billy.”

Mick knew at that moment monsters were real and he ran out of the zoo and never looked back.

This morning he drove to the new location. The old zoo closed in 1966 and this one was two miles away. He felt a twinge when he saw the sign to Griffith Park. Josh Lindsay’s life had ended here just a few days ago. Did he really do everything he could to save him?

He was shocked at the price of admission but he couldn’t wait to get in and be near the animals. The World of Birds show was just about to begin. This time the flapping wings were all on cue, there was no blind terror, no fleeing for their lives.

His next stop was to the Children’s zoo and fed the sheep and goats. He even got a brush and laughed when he found out he was able to groom them. The sheep were warm and calm, not the slightest bit afraid.

He visited every animal and then he got on to the Safari shuttle. It was a wonderful way to see the big animals they weren’t in tiny pens or cages like when he was a kid. The elephants and lions didn’t even glance at his shuttle. He was like a million other humans.

He stayed at the zoo until closing time. Maybe someday he’d come back here with Beth. She needed to grieve over Josh but maybe in a few months, it could happen.

[librarian_7]

Poor Mick...that later visit was not to be. But at least he had the one time, to remember.

Lucky

[BlueEyedMonster]

Wish that there had been at lest on more human mick episode. Hell I wish there were a few more episodes period.

But of course we have wonderfully written fan fic like this to help us continue the dream. Great job.

[AussieJo]

Carol, this was beautiful. I'm so glad he enjoyed his day.

[allegrita]

What a wonderful day! This is a great response to the challenge. You've brought back so many memories of Mick's earlier life, and they make so much sense in context with the zoo. And even his questions and regrets about Josh are touched on.

The zoo is a place that vampire Mick wouldn't dare go after that first, disastrous visit... but for Human Mick, it was a way to reconnect with so much. Memories happy and sad, and thoughts about the future. I'm so glad he had this day... I can just see it happening.

[MickLifeCrisis]

Really nice! A great response to the challenge. I could see Mick doing exactly this - past and present.

[jen]

Cassy]

This was great!

Poor Mick, rediscovering this piece of himself that he had mourned to one degree or another since Coraline had taken his humanity and replaced it with his new life. He has no help finding the parameters of his newfound humanity so he explores what was familiar from his past.

Wonderful answer to the challenge!!

Jenna

[Marigold]

Carol - This was lovely! I really hope Mick's short time as a human was filled with experiences like this one.

The zoo acts to link Mick and his humanity. I'm so happy that Mick was able to experience the zoo one last time. It sounds like he had an absolute blast! I wish he had been able to visit again with Beth.

Thank you! This was a great response to the challenge!

[francis]

This was great! Poor Mick realized he was a predator when he went to the zoo back then, and scared the animals. Surely it's a blessing that humans don't feel the presence of a vampire. What a nice way to experience being human again.

[maggatha3]

What a great response to the challenge, Carol! Brought back to mind the incident with Mick and Travis at first and just how shocked he was to see the small animal drawn at him..

But, what an interesting point of view, Mick - vamp in a zoo, seeing all kinds of life threatened by him, seeing the monster in their reactions! I would have never thought of it like that...and the lion, what sadness!

So great that he had this little time to himself, to be human again...one in million others! That absolutely unique man, desperate to feel ordinary!

[AggieVamp]

This was really enjoyable - and I could see it all happen.. I agree - another 'Human Mick' episode would have been great. But our fabulous writers HERE can do it virtually for us.

Thanks for the wonderful story Carol!

Karen

[cassysj]

Lucky - I wanted him to have some very good memories from being human

BEM - Thank you. I would have liked to have seen some more human Mick but just have to use my imaginiation

Aussie - I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Alle - Seeing Travis react to Logan and Mick's fear of how the cat would respond made me think of what would happen if a vampire was around a lot of animals. Most vampires would know not to go to a zoo so the animals have no chance to adapt to them. Their fear would take over and that would devastate Vampire Mick

MLC - Thanks, I'm always insecure with Mick so I'm glad he came across as true

jen - You do have a point since Coraline was taken by Lance she couldn't give him guidance about this new way of living. He was estranged from Beth so he would be on his own

Marigold Seeing the picnic on the beach, I do think that his short time was filled with little moments and hopefully they were mostly enjoyable

francis - I feel bad for Vampire Mick in this case. This had to solidify all his monster theories. I'm glad Human Mick made a new memory

maggatha - I'm a cat person so I had to use the lion symbol but now he could be a face in the crowd just like he's always wanted since the day he was turned.

Aggie - Thank you. Again, I always tap dance around Mick he's the least clear voice for me in stories.

I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

[darkstarrising]

Carol, this is fabulous

The trip to the zoo is something every little kid enjoys and brings happy memories back to their parents. When Mick goes there as a vampire, it's as if another bit of his human past is being taken away.

It was the lion’s cage that destroyed him. That beautiful King of the Jungle roared once and then whimpered, recognizing the dominant predator.

After the cure, he returns and indulges in all the things he once remembered and some new things as well. But the best part of all:

He was like a million other humans.

Nicely done!!

[cassysj]

This one made me feel warm and fuzzy.

[allegrita]

This is for Mick. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThutnX3-rdM It really was his heart's desire to be "just like everyone".